April 2013 project Austrian Horse

Hello again.

For April 2013 I have set the task of painting 44 Austrian Cavalry.

They will depict Hussars, Uhlans, Dragoons and Cuirassier.

Again, for inspiration I shall refer to the Funcken images.

Austrian Napoleonic era Cavalry Uniforms as illustrated by the Funckens

I have a question for you dear reader of the MarauderS blog:

Do you gain any value from the 'in progress' images or discussions of my modelling and painting techniques?

Please do comment and let me know your view.

Here are the bare metal of the horse now on the painting desk.

44 bare metal horse for April's painting effort

Formation ID tags

I have spent the past week generating the brigade units and command ID tags for Division and higher level formations for use in Fast Play Grand Armee, in support of the Campaign of Nations game.

A tags set including Russian, Austrian and Prussian elements

I print out the sheet of tags onto full sheet stickers, then stick them to full sheet magnetic sheets; cut them into the small labels that are then attached (due to their being magnetic) to the small bent metal sheets that I have attached to my steel sheets for the units of horse, foot and guns; and commanders.

This time round I produced 5 sheets, filling out the Austrians, Russians and Prussians of the Armies of Bohemia and Silesia.

What sort of support materials do you prepare for your games?

Greek Gods

As part of fundraising efforts at Spring Mysteries Festival 2013, I have painted a set of the Greek Gods by Foundry.

Hera & Zeus

Hermes, Athena, Poseidon, Hera, Zeus, Persephone, Hades, Hecate, Ares, Aphrodite (front row); Artemis, Rhea, Hephaestus, Demeter, Pan, Apollo, Dionysus, Hestia (back row)

Some close-ups of Poseidon, Zeus & Hades (top); Artemis, Pan, Ares and Athena (bottom)

They were fun to paint, now to see what excitement they can generate in auction for a good cause.

A sneak peek

any guesses?

A project that has been some months in the making is now coming to completion.

Here is but a sneak peek into the work in progress.

I shall have the lot done within 24 hours, and I must, as they are to travel with me to the Spring Mysteries Festival as part of the fundraising efforts.

I depart in two days time, will be back with you all and sharing the full photos after the trip.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms - Army of Infantry on parade

With the completion of the foot, I decided to roll out the whole of the Kaiserlicks that I have so far ...

320 minis in all so far wearing the white coats of Austria

The troops are on fender washers, then stuck to metal bases with magnets.  A strip of grass paper is between the man and the magnet.

I have brigaded the troops by helmet styles for the photo

It is only when you have lots of them on the table that the really cool effects get seen

some detail of the helmet wearing Austrian infantry of early 1800's

A greatly expanded command staff, including the sky blue coated engineer seen with the commander here

Okay enough looking back, onto the cavalry of Austria, Prussia & France.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms Infantry & Artillery complete

Latest additions to the Austrian force

The flocking was done last night, today offered an opportunity to get the troops out onto a table and get some proper photographs.

The force consisted of 5 battalions of line (one Hungarian - in the blue pants) and one battalion of grenadiers plus 8 artillery stands each with three gunners.  To command the lot were four foot officers, an engineer and a mounted officer (modified with epaulettes and a medal - green stuff is so much fun!)

Missing in the photo shoot was the one fieldworks basket that was done.  I now have another to go with it that is on the painting table, so I will do up a shot or two once I have at least a matched pair.

All minis painted from March 2-19, 2013.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms Infantry & Artillery WIP 6

Infantry & Artillery WIP - out in sun awaiting gloss coat

Nearing the finish line with this load of white coats.

Today the metallic layer was done and details and final highlights.

I paused to get a photo of the lot out in the sunshine this afternoon, just before the gloss coating spray was done.

You can see the 'sticks' that I mount the mini to for handling during the painting process, I put them on with a watered down white glue (like the children use in primary school for paper)  so that they will pop off the sticks later.

This body of troops now rounds out the Austrian infantry.

Up next on the Napoleonic troops list are loads of cavalry, for Austria, Prussia and some French Allies.

Along the way I will also have some Imperial Guard foot artillerymen and a few extra horse artillery for the Guard also.

the whole lot of Austrians just before the gloss spray in the sunshine

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms Infantry & Artillery WIP 5

Austrians in shako work in progress

The ink layers are all on now, actually damp still in the shots.

The red cuffs are also done, as is the red stripe on the flag poles.

Now to let all set overnight.

Next up the faces and hands.  Yellow, blue and green collars & cuffs.  Finally the metallic parts.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms Infantry & Artillery WIP 4

Austrian foot & guns WIP

More progress on the whites this time, only the whites as time was pressed.

(something also happened with my camera - the foreground was really out of focus on the bottom shot)

Now the flagpoles are all ready to take on the red, yellow & black stripes.

Inks for the artillery go on tonight and have time to dry.

Big section of color work to do next with all the units getting their cuffs & collars.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms - Infantry & Artillery WIP 3

Austrian Infantry & Artillery WIP

The Austrian Infantry, in shako, and artillery batteries continues to make progress.

this stage has the 'middle' layer color in place.

As you can see the pants of the artillerymen start to take on more shape and stand out from the doe brown shell jackets they are wearing.

Again the artillery still not looking so great, but then the inking stage is still a few nights away.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms - Infantry & Artillery WIP 2

Work in progress

The work continues on the Austrian brigades and batteries.

Now the block colors are all in I shall be moving to a smaller brush to lay on the 'mid-tones' of lighter blue and brown.

The artillery I shall be doing a new approach that I have read about involving inks.

Austrian Napoleonic Uniforms Infantry & Artillery WIP #1

Base coated on their panting sticks for handling

I always mount the minis onto fender washers now, so that they will be ferrous-magnetic and stick to the magnets in my basing system.  The advantage to this is that the minis are also more stable for single use, as has been called for time to time by my boys (who like the Grant style games better on the dining room table).

The Prince August guns take some time to cast right, yet once turned out they are great

The assembly line take a day or two to set up, yet once done everything paints faster, no more dropped minis due to cramped hands holding the bases.

field works basket in progress

I finished the green stuff basket and mounted it for painting in this lot ... if it works well then I may make up another 11 or so of them to make an even dozen.

Austrian Napoleonic Infantry and Artillery

print after R. von Ottenfeld

I have begun the work on another 100+ Austrian foot troops and 8 Artillery batteries.

Completion of these battalions will round out the foot troops I need for the Kaiserlicks.

Just the bare metal

The officers in this group being painted will include an engineering officer, just for the difference as most of the Austrian uniforms are white.

I have also taken to building a fieldwork basket from the spare green stuff as I modified the minis and stabilized the bases, there was always a bit left over, so I cut up some wire and set up the basket works.

Some Pike and Shotte

Diversions, lots of them appear from time to time.

I have been going over the 'pile o lead' and re-encountered some things that had been under planning and/or consideration.

This post is to focus on some English Civil War (ECW) pike & shot, horse, and Scots that I have re-encountered.  They were packed in Essesx, Dixon and Hinchliffe boxes, but I am reasonably sure they are not from those manufacturers.  I share some quick photos (a little out of focus on one) to help in the identification process.

The selection of pike and shot with an officer and drummer

The horse, with an armored torso and non, 4 heads and arms including a trumpeter

The Scots, including more pike and some different riders (no arms/heads swapping needed)

The peasants, clearly they are from a different manufacturer as they are smaller, come with shields and empty hands for holding spears or pikes (or could be used as artillerymen?)

Maybe those of you out in the internet land that recognize these blokes could leave a comment about them?

1812. Нашествие. 4 серия

The last part of the look back on the 1812 Campaign in Russia.

Now I move on to 1813, the Leipzig phase and the Campaign of Nations games.

1812. Нашествие. 3 серия

An amazingly well done video series about the 1812 campaign in Russia.

1812. Нашествие. 2 серия

Continuing the final look back at the 1812 Campaign

1812. Нашествие. 1 серия

Though all in Russian this video captures very well the 1812 Campaign.

As a last look back it serves very well.

Russian victory in 1812

Russian losses over the same period were also far from light; it is estimated that at least 150,000 perished from all causes, and at least twice as manymore must have been crippled by wounds or frostbite.  An incalculable number of Russian civilians must also have suffered during the seven months of bitter fighting.  However, by the end of the year, the Tsar's forces enjoyed the great advantage of a strategical victory over Napoleon with which to boos heir morale - the soil of Holy Russia was clear of the invader.

The French forces and people had no such compensation, If it were possible, France's allies had even less reason for comfort or complacency.

~ D. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon, p. 853

Failure of a giant

In the last analysis, Napoleon's defeat can be explained in terms of two circumstances.  First, a general decline in the quality of his generalship, shown first in the lack of energy which led to poor supervision of subordinates and repeated failure to intervene personally at the decisive point (as had ever been his practice in the years of his prime); this is also reflected in growing indulgence in wishful thinking concerning the military capabilities of his troops (which he persistently overestimated) and the character of the Tsar (which he consistently underestimated).  The second circumstance was the sheer size of the enterprise he attempted to undertake; it is doubtful whether any soldier in history would have achieved a larger measure of success, both in preparatory and executive phases under the military conditions of 1812.  But in the words of philosopher Montaigne, quoted by the American historian, Dodge:  "Great and distant enterprises perish from the very magnitude of the preparations made to ensure their success."  The Problems of space, time and distance proved too great for even one of the greatest military minds that has ever existed, but it was the failure of a giant surrounded by pygmies.

~ D. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon, p. 861.